


Inosculation

by orphan_account



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Idk at this point, Implied/Referenced Execution, Implied/Referenced Torture, Medium Burn, Memory Loss, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Romance, Uprising, and kind of, as well???, blood mention, but in the canon way, julia-centric, you know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-04 23:29:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14031210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Julia finds a man while out doing chores. When she brings this strange man home, she discovers that he knows little about himself beyond his name. She wants to help him but doesn't know how, but maybe they can make some new memories together.





	1. I found a man outside my tool shed

"Julia, can you go and get another three logs from the pile?" Steven's gruff voice fills the small house slash workshop. The two-story building itself is made of the wood work it is filled with. The bottom flour is a storefront and work area. The smell of wood and oils fills the whole space, and the sounds of creaking floorboards combined with the occasional grinding of tools agents a log. The whole place is homie and calm and has a lived-in feeling.

 Julia walks around the corner with her arms full of tools. She has a glisten of sweet on her brow, and hair slightly dusty from the wood shavings around her.  her dark hair is kept up with her trademark red bandana, but she still fusses with it when her hands are empty.  But right now, her arms are full tools.  She unloads her bundle next to her father's workstation and says, "do you need anything else while I'm out?"

"just a new pair of knees," Steven says with a loud laugh.

"sure, and I'll grab a new hip!" Julia retorts.

"you're too young to complain about that!"

"sure, thing dad," she says smiling while walking out the door "I’ll see you in a bit."

The day outside is beautiful. The craftsmen corridor is bustling, and people are out buying and selling their wares. The sun is shining and the crisp breeze rustling though the pathways makes it even more pleasant. The few wispy clouds that hang overhead do little to shelter the paved streets from the sun, but they make the sky look like a painting.

It talks a few minutes to get from the craftsmen corridor down to the flatlands surrounding the mountain, but Julia enjoys her stole to the lumber yard.  Steven has a small shed rented out that he uses to store extra lumber, and Julia heads straight for it. She is reaching for her keys when a crash comes from the other side of the shed. She only stops for a moment, assuming that it is most likely a dog or something along those lines before another crash and a groan comes from the same direction. 

She carefully makes her way around the corner hand on her knife, not sure what she will find.  When she does turn the corner, she lets out a small gasp. It is a man, a large man, back agents the wall and head lulling to either side as he struggles to stay conscious. This was most likely because of the large gash along the side of his head that is pouring blood.

"Oh, my gods!" Julia says rushing over to the stranger "are you okay?"

The man doesn't respond as Julia kneels next to him. She takes out a rag and holds it to the wound trying to staunch the bleeding at least a little bit.

"can you stand?" she asks. The man mutters something but doesn't make much sense. She gets an arm under his armpit and helps him up to a standing position. "come on, my home isn't that far. We'll get you cleaned up there, okay?"

The man doesn’t respond but he is able to drag his feet alongside her, making progress slow but steady. Julia decides that it would be better to take the back streets. Something is telling her that it would be better to have fewer eyes on the two of them while they work their way through the town.  By the time she gets to the back door of The Hammer and Tongs, she is practicality carrying the man on her shoulders.

"dad!" she shouts into the workshop hoping that the will hear the worry in her voice "need a little help here!"

"what is it, Jules?" Steven says entering the back room. His face goes blank when he sees the two of them. "wh-who is this Julia? Where did he come from."

    "I just found him by the shed like this," she says pushing a few things off of the nearby table. She gently leads the stranger so that he can lay on it. The man mutters again as he lays down, and his eyes open more than they have since she has first put eyes on him.

"b…auti...ful" he murmurs before falling completely unconscious. Julia looks up to her father who is still star struck and almost yells "go get a healer!"

"Oh! Oh yes!" Steven says and runs out.

Julia looks at the man again, taking in his appearance. If he wasn't covered in his own blood, she might have said that he is handsome. His thick square jaw held his beard and sideburns well. His hands are worn and calloused from use, and from what she can see of his arms they look sturdy and strong.

 From what she sees he doesn't have any belongings or weapons on him, but she does pat him down just to be safe. all she can find is a small pocket knife and a strange piece of green paper with writing she doesn't understand it.

It is only a few minutes before the door opens and Steven jogs in with the healer close behind.The healer comes over and quickly gets to work.

* * *

 

"I did all I could," the healer says "his wounds are closed, but there might be some permanent damage. It's hard to tell at this time. That gash was pretty deep, and I’ve seen people go braindead with less. So, he could go either way at this point."

The healer shrugs then look expectantly at the two he is talking to. It clicks for Julia before Steven, so she runs over to the safe before he gets the chance to ask what's going on. She comes back over to the healer and hands him two silvers. He just raises an eyebrow, and she says, "it is all we can spare right now."

The healer huffs and shoves the coin in his pocket before heading out. Before closing the door, he adds "next time you find a stray next to the road you might just want to leave it. You probably can't afford it."

Once the door is closed, Julia flips the bird and heads back to the kitchen, Steven following close behind.  She looks at the stranger again, he looks peaceful in his sleep, his breathing even and his eyelids twitching ever so slightly. She runs a hand along that handsome while jaw deep in thought.

"dad can you open my bedroom door?" she asks. "I can't imagine that your work table is that comfortable to sleep on."

Without much thought, Julia leans down and hoists the man over her shoulders and fireman carries him to her bedroom.  He barely sirs while she sets him on the straw mattress and seems to go back to the deep slumber that he was in just a few minutes ago in a few seconds. She can feel her dad wanting to ask her a question, but neither want to face the possible implications of their actions quite yet.

Julia stays up the whole night watching the stranger; she doesn't want him to wake up and hurt himself if he were to do so. But he stays sound asleep all night barely moving or turning in his sleep.

When the sun does finally rise, Julia is dozing off in her chair, and she doesn't notice Steven enter the room. He walks up to her and says in a gentle voice "why don't you go and get some rest. I can watch him for a few hours okay?"

Julia rubs her eyes for a moment and nods slightly, too tired to refuse the offer. She glances back at the man one more time before heading out of the room.


	2. When a guy you hate comes a-knocking, what do you do?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> julia spends some time with Magnus, they both learn some things about each other.

It is going on noon the next day when the man finally begins to stir. Stevin is there when he opens his eyes and lets out a long groan.  
"where-?" The man says and rubs at his eyes wincing when he touches the newly formed scar across his head.  
"it's okay son," Steven says calmly as he can "you're safe here"  
"where is here," the man says while trying to sit up. Stevin places a hand on the man's chest keeping him in place and almost whispers "you're in raven's roost, you had a pretty bad bump on the head, and the healer said you might be a bit confused for a while."  
The man furrows his brow for a moment as if he is trying to get his bearings. He looks up to Steven and asks with all seriousness "did I die?"  
Steven stammers for a moment before saying "I do not think so."  
"it just that I thought I saw a-"the man cuts himself off when Julia enters the room. She is still somewhat disheveled; hair unbrushed, clothing haphazardly put on and a look of overall exhaustion in her body language. The man just looks at her mouth agape and blush spreading across his cheeks and ears.  
"you're up!" Julia says almost ecstatic "how are you feeling?"  
"like I went on the bender of my life and then got kicked by a mule" the man laughs.  
Julia enters the rest of the way and sits on the bed. She asks in a calm voice "do you know how you got here?"  
"I-I think I was leaving for work-?" The man starts, then his eyes go slightly glassy. He rubs at his scar and winces at either the pain or the attempt of recalling the memory.  
"where is your work?" Steven asks, "maybe you can ask someone there?"  
The man looks up to Steven, his expression going from confusing to concern. The man says "I don't remember…"  
Steven hums at the answer and runs his hand over the small amount of white stubble on his face. Steven looks up to the man now and asks "what about your name son? Maybe we can get some answers with that."  
"Magnus Burnsides." The man says with more confidence then he has had in his voice since wakening up. He looks to Steven and Julia exceptionally "what about you guys? What do you go by?"  
"I am Steven Waxmen" Steven says "and this is my daughter Julia."  
Magnus smiles and worms a hand out from under the covers to shake Steven's and Julia's hands.   
"I don't know what happened" Magnus confesses "but thank you for helping me. I hope I can make it up to you in some way."  
"now son," Steven says, "we are just doing the naborly thing."

* * *

  
It has been a few days since Julia had found Magnus behind the shed, and He is still healing. He gets tired easily, and some things make it worse; like when people ask him about his past. Sometimes he goes distant, eyes glassy and breath shallow, but Julia has found that only certain topics cause this reaction. Questions about his work, or seemingly anything from the age of sixteen and now. Sometimes he says things that don't make sense, talks about people that he immediately forgets the names of. Other times he wakes up in the middle of the night from a nightmare that he can't explain.  
Steven worries sometimes. Magnus seems to be a nice enough guy, kind, caring, gentle, but honest people do not end up covered in scars and without their memory. Parts of him want to kick the guy onto the street to protect his daughter, but other parts see how happy he is making her. He hasn't seen her smile this much since her mother passed, and he can see the way they look at each other. He knows the feeling they are showing.  
On the third day Steven walked into the bedroom with Magnus's lunch and found him whittling at a block of wood. He only has a pocket knife but the work he is making is exquisite. It is a duck no larger than a few coins stacked on top of each other. It was a masterwork that Steven had only seen from men twice his own age.  
"damn" Steven says while walking over to Magnus. "let me see that son."  
Magnus looks at him somewhat confused but hands over the tiny duck anyway. It is just, if not more, impressive close-up. The detail work is outstanding. It has feathers carefully indented into the wings, its tiny pin-sized eyes seem to glisten in the light. If Steven didn't know any better, he would have said the man made it with magic.  
"are you a woodworker son?" Steven asks, "was that your job?"  
"I mean yes, or maybe, for the first one." Magnus says and scratches the back of his head. "but no, I don't think it was my job though."  
Steven just nods, another mystery to add to the pile. He looks up to Magnus and asks "where ya' get the wood? If ya don't mind my asking."  
"when you came in earlier, you dropped a piece on the floor"  
"you made this in that short of time?"  
"I think so? I wasn't really thinking when I was making it. It just kind of happened."  
Steven hums in reply and smiles slightly. "I have an idea"  
Magnus is about to ask what that might be but Steven is out of the door before he can. Steven hallers down the hall "Jules, I'm going to run to the shed. Hold down the fort for me while I'm gone!"  
Magnus sits alone in the bedroom for a few minutes, pouting at his empty hands. He wasn't done with that duck, it still needed to be painted. But his mood changes as soon as Julia enters the room with a piece of parchment in her hands. He can't help but let a bright smile cross his face when he sees her come in.  
"Okay, so I was talking to one of my friend" she starts, almost talking too fast for Magnus to understand "and her little brother a few years back fell out of a tree and his head. He was pretty confused for a few days afterward, and she said the thing that helped him the most was making and doing things that are familiar. So, I made a list of questions and maybe they will jog your memory. Or at least let me know more about you."  
"Okay let me at em'" Magnus says in his overly cheery voice.  
"Okay first up," Julia says while sitting down at the foot of the bed "Which do you like better, mountains or oceans?  
"the ocean" Magnus replies. Julia writes down his answer  
"okay, what about… coffee or tea?"  
"my favorite is beer" Magnus says with a chuckle, and Julia smiles brightly and scribbles on her paper. Before adding "a man after my own heart! Okay how about dogs or cats?"  
"dogs for sure!" Magus says getting excited.  
"not a big surprise ther,e" Julia says "I like dogs as well, but dad's deathly allergic so we could never have one."  
"man, that blows!"  
"tell me about it."  
This goes on for quite some time. Simple either-or questions. The time flies and Julia have to leave once to get more paper as she comes up with more questions. Magnus answers the questions as best as he can, but he gets stuck a few times.  
"what about cake or pie?" Julia asks.  
"pie for sure!" Magnus says happily   
"Oka,y what's your favorite type of pie then?"  
Magnus doesn't skip a beat with his answer "apple, but the one that Lup makes, with the caramel embedded in the crust."  
"who's that?" Julia looks at magus smiling, maybe she can get the recipe. Or maybe find this person to help.  
"who's who?" Magus says still excited.  
"Lup"  
"I-I don't remembe,r" magus says. His chipper attitude dulls almost immediately. He rubs at his eyes which are starting to get that glassy look about them. Julia just frowns as magus goes into that strange mindset and just looks off into the distance. He doesn't react when she brushes a hair out of his face; nor when a knock comes from the door.  
"dad probably just needs help bringing things in." Julia says with a sigh "I'll be right back okay?"  
As Julia heads for the front door, she is trying to think of anyone with that name around here. It's a pretty unique name, it should be someone should know that person, right? Wait what is that name? It started with an… an L right… no… wait who were we talking about?  
Before Julia even gets to the door the thought of that person had completely left her. She shakes her head slightly before sliding the door open.  
The person she finds there is not her father. A man stands there, short and greasy. He has the sigil of the empire plastered on the front of his tonic. He has a smile that is missing more teeth then it has. He smells like he hasn't bathed in the last year and the oil that sticks to his skin makes him look as greasy as he sounds.  
"Julia" the man says, his voice smooth but harsh "it is so great to see you here…"  
"well seeing as this is my home governor," Julia says calmly, even though she feels a chill roll down her back. "it isn't exactly like I wouldn't be here"  
"Julia how many times do I have to say it, call me Kalen," Kalen says easily as he brushes past Julia and into the Hammer and Tongs. He looks around the place nonchalantly and scratches at his sparse and patchy facial hair. He says in a voice like a mistuned violin "a little birdy told me that there is someone living under this roof… that is not accounted for in your paperwork"  
Julia has a brief moment of panic in her mind but does not show it. She just smiles and says "yes well, one of dad's cousins came from the north. We weren't expecting him so we didn't have the time to send you a notice."  
Kalen hums and picks up one of Steven's tools off of one of the nearby worktables. He looks up to Julia and almost whispers "that's strange, my little birdy said the man had no resemblance to any of your family."  
The quiet is suffocating. Kalen just plays with the sharp tool waiting for Julia to say anything, but she does not. So, instead, she just continues his posturing.  
"but!" Kalen says slamming the tool down on the table suddenly. A smile fills his face like an uncanny mask "either way it does not matter. Your father owes the state and I am just here to collect."  
"the overnight tax is only applicable after a week," Julia says outrage in her voice "it has only been three days! And we haven't had any business since he came in!"  
"well I got word from the capital, and that overnight tax is now due in three days," Kalen says. Julia knows it is a lie. She knows that the overnight tax is a lie, but she can't do anything about it. If she says no, he could close the Hammer and Tongs, or send Steven to the stockade, and He's killed for less.  
She looks down at her feet. Her fists are bundled up at her sides fingers tugging at her dress. When she does finally look up, Kalen is standing right in front of her. His slimy smile still plastered on his face.   
"you know…" Kalen says as he runs a finger over Julia's cheek "if you don't have the coin, there are other ways to pay."  
Julia smacks his hand away and takes a step back. She goes over to the safe not saying anything. Kalen's expression hasn't changed since he put the tool down, but he does make his way back to the front door. He knows the winds either way, and Julia hates it.  
Julia storms over to Kalen and slams the coins down into his open hand. Her look of hatred plainly on her face. Kalen's mask only breaks for only a moment as he looks down at the pile in his hand and counts the coin out. Though the smile does easily slide back on as he addresses Julia again. "thank you so much for your patronage, the state will use this well."  
Kalen gives an over the top bow before heading out the door. As soon as the door closes, Julia curses loudly and kicks the air. She runs her fingers through her hair and tries to center herself but can't get her hands to stop shaking. She can feel the tears welling in her eyes but doesn't let them out.   
After a few deep breaths, Julia turns but bumps into something large and steadfast, like she rand face first into a brick wall. Magnus is standing there. His back to her and body between Julia and the door.   
"Magnus!" Julia says more suppressed then anything "you shouldn't be out of bed!"  
But Magnus doesn't reply, and Julia looks at him up and down. He is standing steadfast, ready to pounce. He has his small wood carving knife in his hand and a bigger block of wood in the other. Even with the small weapon and the makeshift shield, he is an intimidating sight.   
"Magnus" Julia says in a low voice while walking up to the man. She gently places a hand on his shoulder. He thankfully, relaxes at the touch, shoulders falling slightly. He turns and looks at her brow still furrowed, and a deep frown still embedded in his features. When he makes eye contact with Julia his expression softens, and he smiles slightly.  
"Sorry about that…" Magnus starts "I just heard you yell, and I…"  
"it's okay" Julia sighs. "it's nothing."  
It occurs to both of them on how close they are standing to each other at this moment, but neither try to move away. Magnus looks at Julia and smiles warmly saying "I'm sorry I startled you. I just needed to make sure you were safe."  
"thank you, Magnus," Julia says in a firm voice. She fudges with her apron slightly "you don't need to rush in like that though."  
"yea well…" Magnus stammers and scratches the back of his neck. He seems to have finally noticed how close they are standing to each other and takes a step back. His cheeks are flushed, and he looks around the room, trying to find something to say. "that's just what I do I guess."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hay thanks for reading my work! this is my first TAZ fanfic and I'm liking how it is coming out so far. I just had to write my favorite couple of the series and wanted to write some fluff so here we are!  
> thanks for the comments and kudos! they always mean the world to me!


	3. When you just want to pick up some groceries, but end up bloodied instead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus is settling in nicely, and he is happy in Raven's Roost, but a trip out of the house changes that drastically.

It has been a little over a month since Julia stumbled upon Magnus. He has been out of bed for three weeks, and Steven's apprentice for two.  The shop has gone back to normal, and the ducks Magus makes sell well.  It is almost uncanny with how well Magnus fits into their tiny family.

"Julia!" Magnus calls into the house "I'm running to the market; do you want to come?"

"sure, just give me a minute" Julia calls back.  Magnus waits by the front door humming an unrecognizable toon.  He is scratching at his beard when Julia walks to him.

"ready?" He asks.

"yep!"

As they head out, they find that the day is somewhat overcast and is threatening to rain. Though the temperature is pleasant.  They walk down the gravel streets, not talking but enjoying each other's company nonetheless.

"do we have enough for me to get some stuff to shave?" Magnus asks. Julia looks up at him with an expression closer to offense than anything else.

"why do you want to shave?" She asks.

"I'm not going to take it all off," Magnus says with a huff "I'm just getting a scruffy."

Julia hums and feels the coins in the small bag. She pushes her lips and looks up to Magnus " let's buy what we need first, and if we have anything left, we can get some things."

Magnus nods and smiles. The rest of the walk to the quad is quiet, but that silence is broken when by the sound of a pained scream. Julia looks to Magnus and they both frown. The two pick up there pace towards the sound of the continuing cries. 

The sound is coming from the middle of the quad. From a small stage with a crowd gathered around it. The stalls that run along the outside of the quad are closed up, the owners knowing that they will not make any more money for the rest of the day.  A half-dozen guards are blocking the crowd from the stage, and three men stand on the small platform.

Governor Kalen stands to the back of the stage, a large book in his hand. Another large man in government uniform stands there a large cattail whip in his hand dripping with blood. The third man is not standing, no, laying motionless face-down on the stage.

 Magnus can hear a woman wailing in the crowd. He feels his stomach turn, not from disgust but anger. He feels his blood boil and his teeth clench.

"And this is what happens when you do not obey the law." Kalen says in his overly smooth voice. "disobedience WILL be punished to the full extent of the law."

As he addresses the crowded, he places his foot on the man's back, making him whine in pain.  "for his crimes agents the Stone Monarch. Dan Glil will be hanged by the neck until death at dawn."

The woman's wailing has become unbearable when Kalen says this, drowning out nearly every other noise in the quad. Magnus winces at the sounds and looks over to where Julia was just standing but finds that she is missing. When he looks back up, he sees that she is pushing her way to the front of the crowd. She stops once she is just in front of the stage and looking directly up to Kaylen.

"you can't do that!" Julia says over the cries of the woman. "he didn't do anything wrong!"

Kalen's usual smile drops into a sneer as he looks down at Julia.  When he speaks his voice does not have its usual composure; instead, it drops an octave and is almost a growl. "he broke the law and must be punished for it."

"yea, and what law was that!" Julia says her voice is shaking with anger.

"He made an attempt on one of my guard's life if you have to ask." Kaylen snarls but is also trying to regain his poise.

"he was protecting me!" The woman sobs from the crowd. Magus spots her by the front near Julia, but a few people stand between the two. She is on her hands and knees prone on the ground, by herself. 

"I will not let my officers be disrespected like the miss Glil," Kaylen says his cool tone returning "if you are to keep this up the hangman will be paid double tomorrow."

"you may as well kill me!" The woman spits "he is my only child."

She goes quiet after her last outburst and Kalen does not say anything for a moment. Though The crowd begins to murmur slightly; making Kalen visibly uncomfortable

Kalen clears his throat and speaks again "my decision is final, Dan Glil will hang at dawn, and there is nothing else to be done."

Kalen turns on his heel and starts making his way off of the stage as Miss.Glil begins to wail again. Kaylen pinches the bridge of his nose and says almost under his breath, but Magnus hears him, "guars will you please shut that woman up, she is giving me a headache."

Two of the guards break off and head straight for Miss. Glil, but Magnus goes in the same direction. He steps in between the guards and the woman making a wall between the two parties.

The two guard are dressed in regular armor for the area, a simple chest plate, and helmet. Both of them also carry a short sword, shield, and crossbow. They look to be human, and Magnus stands quite a bit taller than the shorter of the two and is eye level with the other one.

"move out of the way sir" the taller of the two says.

"no," Magnus states in a flat tone. He hadn't noticed that Miss. Glil had stopped crying. "this woman has been punished enough. You do not need to do more."

The smaller one of the two scoffs and says, "you don't need to start anything stranger, or do we need to put you in your place as well."

"I would like to see you try," magus says plainly.

"are you threntenin' a guard of the city," the tall one says with a snarl. Magus doesn't answer, but the guars seem to take the hint and start to walk off. Magnus huffs slightly and turns to see if Miss. Glil is okay. She is longer prone on the ground Julia is helping her up. Magnus nods and places his hand on Julia's shoulder, but she does not react.  There is a cold feeling of calm in the air, like the gathering storm overhead. 

Miss. Glil, Magnus, and Julia start to make their way out of the quad, but there is a crack of thunder, but it didn't come from the sky. Magnus feels a blinding pain strike his body, like a blast of energy combined with a slash of a sword. He clutches his face as he feels the blood trickle between his fingers. His right eye throbs in pain, Julia evidently comes over to him. She undoes her bandana and uses the cloth against Magnus's open wound. Miss. Glil is there as well, her hand resting gently on Magnus's shoulder, and the few other people still in the quad turn to look at the sine.

"that is your first and only warning" Kaylen's voice echoes from behind Magnus "you're new here so I will only tell you this once.  You do not disobey or threaten me or my guards, or you and your new friends will pay some serious conquered."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *me halfway through writing this chapter* this is just fantasy Les Mis... lol  
> anyway thanks for the support, comments, and Kudos I'm really liking how this work is coming out and you guys seem to like it as well. which is excellent! thanks again and each and evert kudos means the world to me! thank you so much!

**Author's Note:**

> like my work? consider checking out my tumbler (thedegu.tumblr.com)  
> really like my work? maybe buy me a tea (https://ko-fi.com/D1D3894A)


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